The scale of West Africa’s Ebola epidemic has been attributed to the weak health systems of affected countries,
their lack of resources, the mobility of communities and their inexperience in dealing with Ebola. This briefing for African Affairs a
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rgues that these explanations lack important context. The briefing examines responses to the outbreak and offers a different set of explanations, rooted in the history of the region and the political economy of global health and development. To move past technical discussions of “weak” health systems, it highlights how structural violence has contributed to the epidemic. As part of this, local people – their beliefs, concerns and priorities – have been marginalised. Both the crisis response and post-Ebola ‘reconstruction’ will be strengthened by acknowledgment of its long term structural underpinnings and from a more collaborative inclusion of local people.
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Women, the elderly, adolescents, youth, and children,
persons with disabilities, indigenous populations, refugees,
migrants, and minorities experience the highest degree
of socio-
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economic marginalization. Marginalized people
become even more vulnerable in emergencies.1 This is due
to factors such as their lack of access to effective surveillance
and early-warning systems, and health services. The
COVID-19 outbreak is predicted to have significant impacts
on various sectors.
The populations most at risk are those that:
• depend heavily on the informal economy;
• occupy areas prone to shocks;
• have inadequate access to social services or political
influence;
• have limited capacities and opportunities to cope and
adapt and;
• limited or no access to technologies.
By understanding these issues, we can support the capacity
of vulnerable populations in emergencies. We can give
them priority assistance, and engage them in decision-making
processes for response, recovery, preparedness, and
risk reduction.
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This policy brief examines the implications of COVID-19 and the government’s preventative measure for political stability,9 especially in the short to medium term. It argues that in the short term
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the disease and the preventative measures could make the country less vulnerable to organised political violence and more vulnerable to riots. In the medium and long term, however, vulnerability to both types of violence could increase, depending on the capacity of political forces to instigate and manage conflict and on their willingness to work together.
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Since the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing in 1995, gender mainstreaming has become a widespread strategy for changing unequal social and institutional structures which discriminate against women
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and girls, with the goal of achieving gender equality. Much has changed for women since 1995: they have become more visible as actors in society, economy and politics. Public awareness regarding their discrimination has increased. However, most societies remain based on patriarchy and male hegemony. Patriarchal structures and institutions cannot easily be changed and the struggle for gender equality is still far from being won.
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Over the past few decades and throughout the world, the landscape of adolescent health has been altered dramatically. Currently, the total population of adolescents between the ages of 10 and 19 yea
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rs is 1.2 billion – the largest generation of young people in history. The vast majority of adolescents (85%) live in developing countries where, in many areas, they make up more than a third of the population. They face a variety of different experiences given the diverse political, economic, social and cultural realities within their communities. Although, for many, adolescence is a period of learning and building confidence in a nurturing environment, for others it is a period of heightened risk and complex challenges.
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The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela has been facing a prolonged socio-political and economic situation that has profoundly
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and negatively impacted social and health indicators. The COVID-19 pandemic further aggravated the humanitarian context in the
country, which stretched the limits of an already weakened national health system. Violence and social conflicts, hyperinflation, constant political tensions, the persistence of migratory movements, and intensification of climate threats and natural hazards
have worsened the living conditions and health status of populations in vulnerable situations, including women, children, and indigenous people. A large influx of returnees back to Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) marked the first
two years of the pandemic. However, the country’s continued deteriorating political, socio-economic, and human rights situation resulted in renewed increased migration of Venezuelans in 2022. The profile of Venezuelan migrants has progressively changed
over the years, from single men in search of better economic opportunities to families with women and children in situations of extreme vulnerability. The increasingly irregular and unsafe journeys of those migrants are constantly putting their lives at high risk
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In the USA, Catholic Social Teaching is commonly called “the church’s best keptsecret”. And, indeed, did the church’s Social Teaching on the other side of the Atlantic never enjoy the political
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and societal importance attributed to it in many European countries for such a long time including, and above all, Germany. Entire generations of Catholic politicians, social scientists, trade unionists andentrepreneurs were shaped by the Social Teachings of their Church in thesecountries, and this moulding has influenced their way of acting to a great extent. This influence can be clearly traced in the socio-economic realm where Catholic SocialTeaching has contributed fundamentally to the rise of what we today – in a cleardividing line to the boundless capitalism of the Anglo-American brand – call theSocial Market Economy.
accessed July 2020
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The discourse on climate change and migration has shifted from labelling migration merely as a consequence of climate impacts, to describing it as a form of human adaptation. This article explores the adaptation framing of the climate change
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and migration nexus and highlights its shortcomings and advantages. While for some groups, under certain circumstances migration can be an effective form of adaptation, for others it leads to increased vulnerabilities and a poverty spiral, reducing their adaptive apacities. Non-economic losses connected to a change of place further challenge the notion of successful adaptation. Even when migration improves the situation of a household, it may conceal the lack of action on climate change adaptation from national governments or the international community. Given the growing body of evidence on the diverse circumstances and outcomes of migration
in the context of climate change, we distinguish between reactive and proactive migration and argue for a precise differentiation in the academic debate
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The Demographic Dividend study on Rwanda assessed the socio-economic and human development potential of our country in the short, medium and long-t
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erm period using a comprehensive approach. It generated relevant policy and programme information to guide a well-informed polciy required to propel Rwanda towards achieving its aspirations of being high middle income country by 2035 and high income country by 2050.
The primary objectives of this study were to assess Rwanda’s prospects for harnessing the demographic dividend and demonstrate priority policy and programme options that the country should adopt in order to optimise its chances of earning a maximum demographic dividend in the context of its youthful population and medium, long-term socio-economic development aspirations.
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This document provides a snapshot view of Rwanda in terms of key socio-economic indicators, political and
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economic context and the situation of children. It also gives an overview of UNICEF's Country Programme and key achievements.
Rwanda has made significant progress towards economic prosperity and human development over the past two decades. Rwanda has one of the fastest growing economies in central Africa, and was one of the few countries to achieve all the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Political stability, strong governance, fiscal and administrative decentralization, and zero tolerance for corruption are among the key factors supporting the country’s inclusive growth and development.
Rwanda still faces some significant development challenges. Chronic malnutrition (stunting), early childhood development, neonatal mortality, the quality of education, and prevention of violence against children require continued attention.
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สื่อ “สาร” ให้เข้าถึง : คู่มือนักข่าวส าหรับการรายงานเกี่ยวกับการเปลี่ยนแปลงสภาพภูมิอากาศและการพัฒนาอย่า
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งยั่งยืนในภูมิภาคเอเชียและแปซิฟิก
A new, free handbook, for journalists reporting climate change in Asia and the Pacific
It explores the essential aspects of climate change, including its injustices to vulnerable communities, especially women and girls and least developed countries, and provides examples of best practices and stories of hope unique to the region. It can be used as a resource for journalists to understand the science of climate change, as well as helping journalists to improve their reporting of the environmental, social, economic, political, technological and other angles of the story.
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Civil disorder, authority credibility and public health: Chile’s unique sociopolitical
context in dealing with COVID-19.
Myanmar continues to present a complex and dynamic operating context where ongoing socio-economic and
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political challenges, including conflict, displacement, widespread poverty and food insecurity, hinder development efforts. An estimated 24.8 percent of its 54 million population live near or below the poverty line. Many struggle with inadequate physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food, with women, girls, persons with disabilities and minorities affected most.
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The region of Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) has high levels of income inequality and urbanization. This leaves a large percentage of the population exposed
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and vulnerable to infectious disease outbreaks (1). The COVID-19 outbreak occurred suddenly, within a complex economic, social and political context and at a time of low economic growth and high levels of informal labour. Structural challenges of poverty, deep inequality across different dimensions, and weak health and social protection systems exacerbated the region’s vulnerability to the pandemic
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The control and elimination of schistosomiasis have over the last two decades involved several strategies, with the current strategy by the World Health Organization (WHO) focusing mainly on treatment with praziquantel during mass drug administratio
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n (MDA). However, the disease context is complex with an interplay of social, economic, political, and cultural factors that may affect achieving the goals of the Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD) 2021-2030 Roadmap. There is a need to revisit the current top-down and reactive approach to schistosomiasis control among sub-Saharan African countries and advocate for a dynamic and diversified approach.
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This document presents a policy to guide and support Member States of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the Pan American Sanitary Bureau (PASB) in their technical cooperation to improv
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e mental health as a priority for advancing health, social, and economic development in the Region in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.
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